Guild Wars 2 Wiki Guide

Universe

Guild Wars 2 takes place in the same world as the first game - known as Tyria. This world bears three major continents that are known - although only one will be explorable upon the launch of the game.

The first, and only continent at launch, is also named Tyria. This land is controlled in general by five major races - the Humans, Charr, Norn, Asura, and - most recently - the Sylvari. These five races are considered dominant for different reasons, and are by no means the only groups that hold power.

The other two continents - Elona, Land of the Golden Sun, and Cantha, home of the Dragon kingdom, have been cut off from contact with the outside world by the Elder Dragons - scholars only have hearsay of what has occured in these lands in the last 200 years, and what they hear is not pleasant. Perhaps one day, these lands will be opened up again with contact from Tyria, but until that time, the five races only have each other as trading partners, enemies, and allies.

The Humans were, until 200 years ago, the dominant race upon Tyria. The humans have not fared well in the last few hundred years. Their kingdoms, once spanning the entire continent, lie in ruins, leaving only Kryta. As the previous threats began to wane, an even more deadly was risen, that of the Elder Dragons. The Dragons now threaten the very existence of the human race.

The Charr are an older race than humans, and a militant one. The charr are a race of large, savage, semi-feline creatures that occupy much of eastern Tyria. They have renounced all gods as false and instead view all of life, from magic to combat, with a hard, cynical eye. Their culture has developed into a military state where they are raised as warriors from birth. They have only just begun to see other races as more than enemies in response to the Elder Dragon threat.

The norn are a race of nine-foot tall Nordic-like warriors that currently inhabit parts of Kryta and the abandoned dwarven fortresses in the Shiverpeak Mountains. The individualistic norn live for the hunt, so their tracking, stealth and killing skills make them invaluable allies in any combat situation. The largest gathering of norn one can expect to find outside trading posts is in hunting parties that have united to combat a powerful foe.

The asura are a race of diminutive artisans who secretly dwelt below-ground for thousands of years until the minions of the Great Destroyer forced them out of their underground homes 250 years ago. Since then, they have adapted to surface life and quickly established themselves as one of the most powerful races in Tyria.

The sylvari are a young, inquisitive race of botanical humanoids spawned from the Pale Tree in Arbor Bay - the first sylvari emerging in 1302 AE. The tree was planted by Ronan and raised by Ventari, who were attempting to escape the violence that engulfed Tyria.

The Elder Dragons are a mysterious race of draconic creatures more dangerous than any one threat Tyria has ever faced before. These ancient creatures have been sleeping for thousands of years, forgotten by the races of Tyria, and have wreaked havoc as they awakened again.

The Elder Dragons maintain a stranglehold over Tyria to this day. Each of the races has tried to deal with the threat as best they can, but if they truly wish to survive and defeat the dragons they have to work together. Already there are several multi-racial orders who dedicate themselves to finding a solution to the dragons.

The Elder Undead Dragon that awoke under the ancient human kingdom of Orr. The force of its return to life raised the sunken peninsula to the surface, triggering earthquakes and tidal waves that would devastate many coastal regions, including the Battle Isles and Lion's Arch.

For the past century Zhaitan's Undead navy has ensured that no one may enter or leave Tyria, anybody attempting to do so being added to the dragon's numbers. Zhaitan rules over his armies from his lair in the corrupted ruins of the holy city Arah.

Kralkatorrik is the Elder Crystal Dragon and is the most recent Elder Dragon to wake. It has the power to corrupt anything organic with its breath, including foliage.

When Kralkatorrik flew south from his awakening place, a terrible storm of black clouds and lightning was formed around its body. The lands under its flight path that were touched by its golden breath turned black and the plants and animals turned into the Branded - crystalline life forms of their former self. Currently, it occupies the northern Crystal Desert.

Primordus was the first of the Elder Dragons to awaken in Tyria. Primordus' original resting place was in a cavern, deep underground, where it was assumed by the Asura to simply be a statue emitting a high amount of magical energy. After its rise, the other Elder Dragons began to stir, one by one.

After its awakening, its minions, the Destroyers, flooded the Depths of Tyria, crushing any hopes the Asura had of returning to their natural home.

Primordus has remained underneath the surface since its awakening, clearing huge tracks of the underground regions, which forced more races, such as the Skritt, to flee from the Depths. As a result of its activities, the minions of Primordus can be found almost anywhere on the surface.

Jormag is the Elder Ice Dragon that lives in the northern reaches of the Shiverpeak Mountains. Jormag awoke in the beyond the Far Shiverpeaks and moved south, causing the Kodan to flee the icy seas and eventually pushing the Norn further south as well.

Although powerful fighters, the Norn were no match for the dragon's creatures of snow and ice known as the Icebrood and were driven south into the abandoned dwarven territories.